Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-02-12
THE ROCK ISLAND ROBBERY.
Mrs. Swartz's Confession Leads to Import
ant Developments.

Mrs. SwartZ's Confession Leads 10 import
ant Developments.
CHICAGO, February 1l.-Regarding the
alleged developments in the Rock Island
express robbery and murder case, a special
dispatch from Morris, H., where Henry
Schwartz is confined, says: The develop
ments since Monday, including the con-
feSsiOn from Mrs. Schwartz, which, it is
said, furnishes the much-desired clew, will
lead to the arrest of two and possibly
three parties in Chicago. If three persons
are arrested Newton Watts will be one OF
them, though it is still believed that he is
innocent. The names of the other two are
withheld for the present. These men are
the ones who actually committed the dOu-
BILE crime of murder and robbery, the
former being resOrted to in order to avoid
recognition as the perpetrators of the latter.
Henry Schwartz's connection with the
affair was that of accessory, and his duty
on the night of the commission was TO guard
against any one entering the express car
between Joliet and Morris.
wELL-LAID PLANS OF THE ROBBERS.
The story, as partially revealed here, is
to the effect that Schwartz and three
other railroad men conceived the idea of
rObbing the express car, their intimate
knowledge OF the messengers habits and
the running time and stopping places of
the train making it tolerably safe for them
to engage in it. The plan contemplated
doing the work between the two points
named above, for the reason that the coal
ing sheds Just west of Joliet offered the
best place on the road to gain admittance
to the express car without being seen by
persons not interested in the contemplated
robbery Murder, it is said, was not
thought of at the time. Two men still at
large boarded the train in Chicago, and
both were provided with tickets to Joliet
They occupied seats in the forward smoker
and when the train stopped at the Joliet
station
BOTH MADE A PRETENsE
of getting off the train. They may have
done this, but instantly boarded it again,
this time, he wever between the two eX-
press cars. 1t was Schwartz's duty to pre-
vent this very thing, and he would doubt
less have attended to it had the parties
been other than they were. They kept
quiet until after the train had started from
the coaling sheds, but within a few min
utes after had gained access to the express
car, where they had ample time to carry
out their plans, rs the next stopping place
was twenty miles distant. What occurred
in the ear is too well known to require
repetition. The men did not leave the
train until it began slowing up rs it ap-
preached Morris, and could not have been
more than 800 yards away when the dis
covery of the crime was made.
DIVISION OF THE sPOIIs.
Schwartz was to continue with the train,
and on his way back the next day to meet
his cOnfederates. Circumstances almost
prevented this, but the plan was carried
out by Schwartz when he relieved Brake
man Mulligan on the trip to Chicago. 1t
is asserted shat the contederates did not
return to Chicago for several weeks, and in
the meantime Schwartz had scrupalOusly
refrained from touching the money secured.
When the actual perpetrators of the crime
finally reached the city thu division of the
spoils took place, it is said, receiving be-
tween So, 900 and $1,000. These are the
substantial points, it is alleged, in the
confession made by Mrs. Mayhem, or Mrs.
Schwartz.
A CORROBoRATIvE STATEMENT.
Following close upon this came cor
roborative statement from VIM. J. Gala
CHER, who was cell mate of Schwartz in
the Cook county Jail. 1t is said that Gal
lagher's revelations differ scarcely any
from those of Mrs. Schwartz. Gallagher
was seen by reporter here last night, and
would not admit of having made any state
ment. States Attorney Grinnell denied
the story that "the services rendered the
State" by Gallagher-in consideration of
which he pleaded guilty 10 the charge of
forging city warrants and received light
sentence-had any connection with the al
legged Schwartz confession.
Detective William PinkertOn would give
no information as to the whereabounts of
Mrs. Schwartz, who disappeared so myste.
riously after her return from Morris. 1t is
believed that she is in the custody of the
detectives.